


Child Psychology and Chara

by ArgentDandelion



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Dogs of Future Past, Gen, Glitchtale, Hatred, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Nonfiction, Psychology, The Buttercup Plan (Undertale), Underline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-09-28 14:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20427185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentDandelion/pseuds/ArgentDandelion
Summary: Uses principles of child psychology to analyze Chara's motives and characterization, prior to the Genocide Route.





	Child Psychology and Chara

  
(Sprites from the sprite resource of [CrasherGale](http://crashergale.tumblr.com/), who has since left Tumblr)

(_Made with consulting from [Keetah Spacecat](https://spacegate.tumblr.com/)._)  
**(WARNING: This article covers Chara’s possible motives for knowingly eating a lethal dose of poisonous flowers. It thus covers some dark material.)**

Some fan works depict “Chara” (the default name of the Fallen Child that will be used in this article) as violent and demonic even before the completion of the Genocide Route. It’s possible this interpretation comes from a lack of familiarity with child psychology, or disagreeing on Chara’s age and thus age-appropriate moral awareness. Furthermore, there’s little evidence Chara acted demonic before the Genocide Route. Sometimes, kids are little sociopaths—and that’s not a sign they’re pure evil.

Chara thought the buttercup plan was a good idea, and didn’t know or care about its bad consequences, because Chara was just a kid and didn’t have the appropriate moral/cognitive development yet. Chara’s exact motives for the buttercup plan, too, would likely differ depending on their age. [Basic (Canon) Information](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#codeword0)  
1\. _[Kohlberg’s Stage 2](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#codeword1)_  
2\. _[Kohlberg’s Stage 3](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#codeword2)_  
3\. _[Kohlberg’s Stage 4](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#codeword3)_  
4\. [Caveat](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#codeword4)  
5\. [Conclusion](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#codeword5)

* * *

## Basic (Canon) Information

** _Canon Details:_ **

  * Hated humanity. 
    * Felt very strongly about that, but never talked about why.
  * With Asriel, poisoned Asgore by putting buttercups in a pie rather than cups of butter
  * Laughed upon hearing Asgore was really sick
  * Apparently does creepy faces sometimes
  * When Asriel had absorbed their SOUL, wanted Asriel to use his “full power” on the humans
  * Has a sophisticated vocabulary (“vanquished”, “absolute”, “consequences”, etc.) and formal way of speaking for a child
  * Climbed Mt. Ebott, a mountain it’s said travellers never return from 
    * Chara’s reason for doing so “wasn’t for a very happy reason”.

** _Extrapolation:_ **

  * Made the Mr. Dad Guy sweater  

    * This is based on how Asriel just calls Asgore “Dad”, and how Chara may be reluctant to refer to Asgore as just “dad” due to being adopted when they could remember their original parents.
  * Chara’s age is 8-12. 
    * This is based on Chara’s planning abilities and sophisticated vocabulary.

Chara hated humanity and was “very clear about that”: this is one of their few canon traits. However, dying a gruesome death by buttercup poisoning does seem quite a lot to do out of just hate. Most people wouldn’t go so far as to die to destroy something they hated.

While wanting to destroy humanity was surely motivated least partly by hate, the particular intentions of the plan and how well they would execute it would likely depend on age. Assuming an age range of 8-12, Chara would likely be in the Stages 2, 3, or 4 of Kohlberg’s developmental stages, with Stage 3 being the most likely.

The apparent purpose of the buttercup plan was to “free everyone”. That is what Asriel emphasizes in the VHS tapes, and also what the Angel of the Prophecy is said to do.

In _[Underline](https://underlineau.tumblr.com/post/138145334621/underline-page-links-under-the-cut-i-hope-i)_, _[Growth Spurt](https://potoobrigham.tumblr.com/growth-spurt-au/)_, _[Dogs of Future Past: Chara Origins](https://lynxgriffin.tumblr.com/post/145243002663/dogs-of-future-past-masterpost)_, Chara’s motives were initially explained or mentioned to Asriel in ways more sympathetic than punishment, vengeance or simple hate. It’s unclear whether Chara had the mental ability to anticipate Asriel reacting badly if they said their motives were one of those three, or whether Chara just reloaded whenever they got a bad outcome.

* * *

## Kohlberg’s Stage 2

Ages 5-7 or 9, or Ages 4-10[1](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fn:1)

> “People at Stage 2 are self-protective, dominant, exploitative, and opportunistic. The need to love and to be loved is gratified on the basis of reciprocal altruism.”- [The Moral Development of the Child: An Integrated Model](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fpmc%2Farticles%2FPMC3860007%2F&t=YTc2ZWUwMTk1OGVkYjBhOWRjZjEwMGQ0MTA3MzVlNzhjYTA0ZmI4NyxkTkJ3QWtsTQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F184512974457%2Fchild-psychology-and-chara&m=1)

Though those in Stage 2 may sometimes seem as if they lack morals, [they do](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cs.umb.edu%2F%7Ehdeblois%2F285L%2FKohlberg%27sMoralStages.htm&t=ZGE1YTA5NjgxNzVlNzZjNGYwNWIzNGUzZDYxYjJlZjFjMmYxZjNjMSxkTkJ3QWtsTQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F184512974457%2Fchild-psychology-and-chara&m=1) have some sense of right action. The stage is defined by fair exchanges and pragmatic reciprocating, with moral reasoning guided by a sense of “fair play”. Stage 2 reasoning shows a limited concern for others, but only to the point where it might further the individual’s own interests: it’s a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” mentality. Thus, it’s not based on loyalty or intrinsic respect.

Chara’s needs or interests might include punishing/inflicting vengeance on humans for one or more of these reasons: treating Chara specifically badly, sealing monsters underground long ago, or their wicked deeds in general. According to [this](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DKJZ0RAGmYi0C%26pg%3DPA13%26lpg%3DPA13%26dq%3DStage%2B2%2C%2BKohlberg%2C%2Bpunishment%2C%2Bvengeance%2BOR%2Brevenge%26source%3Dbl%26ots%3DYfk-_4wtsR%26sig%3DACfU3U3FQGUF4pEZxwo4tB7wnLLTn9KyFQ%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiPlM7ch_HhAhULWq0KHR5MA94Q6AEwHnoECCEQAQ%23v%3Donepage%26q%3DStage%25202%252C%2520Kohlberg%252C%2520punishment%252C%2520vengeance%2520OR%2520revenge%26f%3Dfalse&t=NmZiNDc3MGM3NWQxZjQ3NTBiZGE0YmFhYmExOWYwMThhZjgwYWFiYixkTkJ3QWtsTQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F184512974457%2Fchild-psychology-and-chara&m=1) source, vengeance is in fact considered a moral obligation at this stage.[2](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fn:4)

Though collectively punishing all of humanity/a minimum of six people doesn’t make sense (assuming that minimum of six people didn’t abuse Chara), it might make sense if Chara is ages 8-10.  
Kohlberg based his work on Jean Piaget’s own work on moral development in children, though Piaget’s had fewer stages. Those in the first of Piaget’s stages (approximately from age 5 to age 11-12) believe in collective punishment, so, if one person in a group does something bad, it would make sense to punish everyone in that group.

Due to the principle of reciprocity, Chara may also have thought they should “return the favor” to monsterkind by sacrificing themselves for monsters’ freedom. However, because this stage is characterized by _pragmatic_ reciprocity, such an altruistic perspective does seem unlikely at this age (and death by buttercups was an awful way to die).

–

** _GlitchTale_ **

In the _GlitchTale_ episode _Continue_, Chara tells Asriel that Frisk isn’t the goody two-shoes they thought they were. Chara didn’t force Frisk to do the Genocide Route; Frisk did so themselves. When Frisk reset, all the hate (which is both a substance and a feeling here, like Determination) built up in that route went to Chara.[3](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fn:2) Chara says it makes them sick that Frisk thinks they’re above consequences, wants to make “the little murderer” pay for their actions, and also believes that Frisk shall use all of Asriel’s friends as toys forever. This relates to the idea vengeance is considered a moral obligation in Stage 2.

–

** _Underline_ **

In one timeline, Chara crossed the barrier with Asriel by holding hands, and some humans attacked Asriel because he was a monster. Later, during a horrific reliving of this event, Chara stabbed (who they thought was) a human. Chara believed humans thought themselves above consequences, and wanted to make them regret what they did. (Later, Chara’s motives were different. As a soul absorbed by Asriel, Chara wanted to destroy humans because they considered humans “the real monsters” who would destroy their family.)

* * *

## Kohlberg’s Stage 3

**Age Estimate: 7-13.**

People in Stage 3 are aware of shared feelings and expectations, which are more important than individual interests. Those in Stage 3 believe people should live up to the expectations of the family and community and behave in “good” ways. To do right is to conform to social expectations, such as showing concern for others and following rules set by others to win their approval. Belief in the “golden rule” is one aspect of Stage 3. The reasons for doing the right thing is to maintain rules and authority and to be seen as a nice and good person by others.

If Chara believed they were expected to be “the future of humans and monsters” and/or “the angel of the prophecy”, that would count as an expectation of the family and community. Thus, Chara would believe they had to break the barrier by any means necessary because that’s what the angel of prophecy and/or the future of “humans and monsters” should do.

By this perspective, the buttercup plan would have seemed like a good, moral plan to get Asriel past the barrier to obtain more SOULs. Chara’s hatred for humanity might have made this plan easier to do, especially if Chara planned from the start to get more human SOULs by killing.

However, part of this stage is belief in the “Golden Rule”, and “do unto others as others would do unto you” doesn’t really apply, since Chara (as a SOUL absorbed by Asriel) wanted to kill humans but wouldn’t want humans to kill them in turn.

–

** _Dogs of Future Past_ **  
**(WARNING: This section is slightly darker than usual.)**

In _Dogs of Future Past: Chara Origins_, Chara was raised in a cult. Chara tried to be “good” and obey the cult’s teachings and the claimed desires of The Player, a godlike being the cult worshipped. The cult said The Player would wipe away all those whose hearts were filthy with wickedness (that is, kill them) and would do so “soon”.   
Sometimes, Chara seemed to think The Player’s desires were valid, to the point they questioned why The Player hadn’t destroyed wicked people already. Yet, after the callousness and cruelty of the cult members, Chara concluded everyone in the cult was a bad as everyone outside it.

Later, Asgore calls Chara (and Asriel) “the future of humans and monsters” in front of a crowd of monsters, which causes them all to cheer. Chara interpreted this as a crushing responsibility to do the best thing for monsterkind. Later Chara concluded they were what the Player was playing _as_/conflating their identity with the Player’s, and so executed the buttercup plan.   
Their original parents [repeatedly told](https://lynxgriffin.tumblr.com/post/158777021338/you-think-you-are-above-consequences-next-part) them how “selfishness corrodes the heart”. Chara may thus have thus believed a sense of self-preservation was selfish, and fulfilling monsters’ apparent expectations was worth more than their individual life.

* * *

## Kohlberg’s Stage 4

**Age Estimate: 10-15, on average.**

> ““Right” is helping maintain social order by doing one’s duty, obeying laws simply because they are laws, and showing respect for authorities simply because they are authorities.” -_Psychology Second Edition_, by Hockenbury & Hockenbury

Stage 4 reflects a belief that rules maintain the social order and that the social system will break down if people do not follow rules. At this stage, doing good involves following through on what one has agreed to do, for the good of the larger social system.

If Chara believed it was their duty to free monsters, Chara may have believed any tactic that would enable them to fulfill that duty was justified. On the matter of “following through on what you have agreed to do”, perhaps Chara thought Asriel ought to follow through with the buttercup plan they had agreed to do together, to the point of (potentially) manipulating him to ensure he complied.[4](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fn:3)

–

The Chara of _Dogs of Future Past: Chara Origins_ is, of all the applicable Chara interpretations the author has studied, the closest to this interpretation. However, Stage 3 is better-supported in the work.

* * *

## Caveat

Kohlberg’s work has been criticized in various ways. In the scope of this article, there’s only one major flaw: Kohlberg’s early studies were done purely on male subjects. It’s therefore possible his work doesn’t reflect the development of moral reasoning in girls.  
The book _Psychology Second Edition_ (by Hockenbury & Hockenbury) points out that, in general, men and women may approach moral matters from slightly different perspectives. Many works do not describe or specify Chara as a boy or girl, or openly define Chara as neither, so which perspective to take is unclear.

* * *

## Conclusion

If Frisk talks with Asriel in the playable epilogue of the Pacifist Route, Asriel will eventually come to terms with his decision to resist Chara’s control and not kill the humans attacking him. Asriel realized that if had killed them, it would have started a war with humanity.

Some suggest war with humanity was the whole point of the buttercup plan, and particularly point out the detail that Chara requested to see the golden flowers of their village before dying. It is, however, likely Chara couldn’t foresee all the consequences to monsters from their plan, including the immense emotional suffering for their family members. Thus, as far they knew, the plan was a good and moral one.

* * *

**Related Reading**

  * Flowey and PTSD ([Part 1](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/182408400143/flowey-and-ptsd-part-1) and [Part 2](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/182590189723/flowey-and-ptsd-part-2))

* * *

* * *

  1. [Age Estimate Source 1](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fthebrain.mcgill.ca%2Fflash%2Fi%2Fi_09%2Fi_09_s%2Fi_09_s_dev%2Fi_09_s_dev.html&t=N2ViMmEyYTUzYzM3NzczZTNlMjBkZjY4NjUyMTUzOWRmNDM0NWYzNCxkTkJ3QWtsTQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F184512974457%2Fchild-psychology-and-chara&m=1), [Age Estimate Source 2](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.rmu.edu%2F%7Etomei%2Fed711psy%2Fh_kohl.htm&t=MmY1YjdjNmQyYzI5YWFjNzA3NjZhNzZlMDg2OTcxZDBhNDU3YTg2YixkTkJ3QWtsTQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F184512974457%2Fchild-psychology-and-chara&m=1) [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fnref:1)

  2. As [Voltrathesparking](https://voltrathesparking.tumblr.com/) pointed out, this does bring up some questionable motives: if Chara’s goal was vengeance, how could they be sure vengeance would be executed if they died? Wouldn’t they want to see the look on humans’ faces as they/Asriel destroyed them? Some works presume the two Waterfall history plaques unreadable in the game (the one in the artifact room and the one defaced by Nice Cream flavors) provided the information that a monster that absorbed a human SOUL had control of its body split between the two SOULs. However, this remains speculation. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fnref:4)

  3. It’s possible the hate substance itself made Chara feel hate spontaneously, and it was up to Chara to put reasons to it. (See [this](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/172805608440/glitchtale-revived-sans-behavior-part-2) _GlitchTale_ analysis) Nonetheless, this would reflect Chara’s, well, character. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fnref:2)

  4. For more information, see [this](https://nochocolate.tumblr.com/post/136654973560/death-by-buttercups-but-why) Nochocolate post, as well as this [counter-post](https://officiallilith.tumblr.com/post/167965385764/chara-why-their-behavior-isnt-abusive-toward). [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/184512974457/child-psychology-and-chara#fnref:3)


End file.
